U.K. Capital Investment

proves faith in future of New Guinea

Consistent with the growing trend of British Manufacturers to expand -within the British Commonwealth of Nations, The Walpamur Company Limited of England, through its subsidiary company, The Walpamur Co. (Australia) Limited, has now opened its latest factory in Port Moresby. The opening ceremony was performed on May 15 by His Honour, the Administrator of Papua and New Guinea, Brigadier D. M. Cleland, C.B.E.

The march forward in the South Eastern area by the Walpamur Com pany started in October, 1956, when they bought Tip Top Paints (Aust.) Ltd. and all its subsidiaries.

The Birth Of A Huge Industry

The Walpamur Company Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Wall Paper Manufacturers Ltd. whose history dates back to 1844 when Charles and Harold Potter acquired the Hilton Paper Mills at Darwen, England, at that time one of the world’s largest paper mills. Paper staining was added to their manufac ture and the wall papers they pro duced were of such quality that they soon became world famous.

paint was carried by the travellers simply as an additional line. As the demand for this product grew, extra staff was necessary. The manufacture of oil paint was com menced and the first exports made to South Africa. After these successes, a decision was made to give the product a more individual name. The Manufacturers’ title (Wal-Pa-Mur) was selected and the name Walpamur was born. It is pronounced Wall-pamure.

Management Turns To

Progressive Australia

In 1956 a decision was made to examine the possibilities of spreading the activities of the Company to Australia. Two Directors N. Jepson and A. Brook arrived in Australia during October of that year and began enquiries. An interview with the energetic founder and Managing Director of Tip Top Paints (Australia) Limited (Mr. P. A. Morawetz) had its culmination when a formal public announcement of the incorporation of the Tip Top Paints (Australia) Limited by the Walpamur Company (England) Limited was made.

Tribute To The Tip Top

Paint Company

When the Walpamur Directors came to Australia, their mission was to locate a vigorous, young Company that had been modelled along the same lines as their own Company.

When they learnt that the extensive Australian network of Tip Top factories had been established in the short span of 17 years they knew their mission had been achieved.

Smooth Take-Over Effected

Negotiations resulted in acceptance of Walpamur’s offer and Mr. P. A.

Morawetz was retained as Managing Director together with the complete Tip Top staff. A gradual change over that would not disrupt the excellent Tip Top organisation was decided upon. As the considerably larger Walpamur financial and technical resources became available,

It was from their business that there developed a great combine known as the Wall Paper Manu facturers Limited—today one of England’s leading industrialists.

Move Into Paint Manufacture

In 1906 a decision was made to branch into paint manufacture.

Working in primitive conditions, the small staff produced a water paint of the distemper type. Twenty tons a week was the total output and the

the laboratories began an intensiv testing of Australian made Walpamui products made under Australian con ditions. It is most important tha the public should know that neithe time, technical skill nor money ha been spared in its preparation.

International Status

Of Walpamur

The overseas business of Walpamu forms an important part of th organisation. A subsidiary was se up in Eire in 1933 as a separal manufacturing company. A few year earlier a warehouse and office ha c been opened in Montreal to hand! paint shipped from Darwen. In 193? the Crown Diamond Paint Compair Limited was formed for the locr manufacture of Walpamur Paints t Outremont, P.Q., to where tW business of the Company was tram ferred from Montreal in 1932.

A South African subsidiary ws' opened at Port Elizabeth in 195;< This factory manufactures a fiu range of Walpamur products am distributes them throughout th! union. The venture has all expectations. The acquirement o Tip Top Paints (Australia) Ltd. placf; Walpamur very solidly on the ma in the Southern Hemisphere.

To achieve and maintain the hig Walpamur standard of quality, rar materials are brought literally, froir the four corners of the earth.

Mr. A. Whittle, K

Chairman of Directors, The Walpamur Co., Ltd., England.

Walpamur have been leaders in the more varied use of colour in domestic decoration, factories and all types of public buildings. A large staff of artists is constantly occupied in the Studios, preparing colour schemes for many important projects.

With the opening of the Walpamur factory in Port Moresby comes to a close a chapter in the history of a remarkable immigrant industrialist.

Paul Morawetz arrived in Australia in early 1940 bought machines and set up in business making Paint in Victoria.

In 1942 Morawetz met Sir Robert Cosgrove, the then Premier of Tasmania and after many important discussions established a factory in Hobart. Tip Top Paints became the first State aided enterprise in Tasmania and the example of their success has no doubt attracted many others.

In his belief that the smaller states of Australia offered greater scope (though smaller markets) Morawetz went off to Perth in 1945.

The outcome of his visit saw the be ginning of the third Tip Top factory which to this day remains the largest and most important in the group supplying over half of all the paint made in Western Australia.

In early 1952 Tip Top established its fourth manufacturing unit in

'ownsville. When Mr. V. C. Gair he then Premier of Queensland ipened the factory, it was the first econdary industry that had ventured o far North. Today Townsville is n important centre of secondary ndustry—a mere 7 years from Tip 'op’s venture.

In the search for further small territories Morawetz decided to have a look at New Guinea. The market was small, but it had great potential wealth and it was important

strategically.

While he was negotiating how to raise the necessary funds, he found a large English Company who were interested to obtain a share of the Australian market. In November, 1956, the Walpamur Company of Darwen bought all the issued share capital of Tip Top Paints. New Guinea did not sound an attractive proposition to many of his colleagues, so Morawetz flew to England to plead and won. “And so”, he says now, “I have achieved my last territorial ambition”. After twenty years of watching over the destinies of Tip Top Paints, of building it from a turnover of £.10,000 to approaching the million mark, Morawetz is laying down the reins at the end ot the year to devote his time and energies to other matters.

Mr. E. J. Emery

Mr E J Emery, who has been designated to succeed Mr. P. A.

Morawetz as Managing Director of The Walpamur Co. (Aust.) Ltd. when the latter retires on December 31, 1959 was born in Vienna, 42 years aeo He was educated on the Continent and in England and started career with a machine India He foined the tool hetoy the J out-break nf Wodd War ll Sd saw active oc a n infantry officer and later' iif the lintelligence Service in

the Middle East and Europe. After the Armistice he was seconded to the British Foreign Office for special duties in occupied Austria and was demobilised with the rank of Major, M r. Emery came to Australia in 1947 to take up the position of Sales Manager for a Swiss machine tool company, and entered the paint in dustry in 1951 as Victorian Sales Manager for Tip Top Paints. He became Manager for Victoria a couple of years later and was appointed to the Board of The Walpamur Co. (Aust.) Ltd. soon after the acquisition of Tip Top Paints by The Walpamur Co. Ltd. of Darwen, Lancs., England.

Mr. G. R. Mann

He came QUt fmm England in 1950 Having wor ked with 1.C.1. at si OU gh, he applied for a job at Tip paints and worked in the Laboratory until an opening occured w hen the new factory in Townsville was being considered. He installed the mach > nes ’ supervised the initial establishment and became the first factory manager. He stayed until 1958 by which time the factory had trebled its output. When the New Guinea factory was first mooted, Geoff volunteered again.

Since Ocober last year he has been living in Port Moresby, meeting people and making friends. Once again the installation from scratch was his responsibility. Now he watches over a team of Papuans aided by John Ellis as factory manager and spends his time between production sales and administration.

Mr. P. A. Morawetz,

Managing Director for The Walpamur Co. (Aust.) Ltd.